Return of the Candy Apples
"Return of the Candy Apples" is the second episode of season two, and the fifteenth overall. It first aired on January 17, 2012. Synopsis Abby's dancers go head to head against Cathy's Candy Apples, but this time Cathy makes sure her dancers are unbeatable - even if it means cheating. Cathy sets a poaching trap for the Dance Moms by inviting them to an anonymous cocktail party. Competition Attended Rising Star in Columbus, Ohio on November 6, 2011.http://www.risingstartalent.com/Results/2011-2012/Columbus%20November.pdf Weekly Dances Summary Gathering for pyramid, Abby tells the girls that their previous week's group ("Sassy Dolls") was not the same group that won a national title in the previous season. Kendall is scolded for being too obviously nervous last week. Abby announces they will perform this week in Columbus, Ohio. Abby asks the girls if they know who lives in Ohio; Chloe enthusiastically serenades the answer: "Candy Apples". Kendall is placed at the bottom of the pyramid, told she is still on probation, and is being watched like a hawk. Mackenzie is placed at the bottom for not being as good as sister Maddie when she was seven. Brooke is placed at the bottom for crying the previous week, even if she danced well. Paige is placed at the bottom for not sitting down on the bus back, having been told thirty-two times. Kelly tells the camera that she thinks Abby is trying to torture her by placing her kids at the bottom of the pyramid. Nia is placed in the middle of pyramid, but Abby thinks it would be nice if somebody from Nia's family could show-up to watch her at competition. Chloe is in the middle and told she did a great job. Maddie is placed at the top, although Abby says she has seen Maddie dance better. Abby announces the week's group dance, "Bad Apples", to be a 1940's dance with a "little Katy Perry." Abby explains that they will put rats and snoods in their hair; Mackenzie objects she is not putting a rat in her hair, and has no idea about snoods. Abby tells Brooke that she expects her to destroy her solo competitor from Candy Apples, making her cry even before she steps on stage. Abby explains: "Candy Apples... Apple sauce: squish 'em"; Mackenzie gestures her understanding by pretending to smash an apple with her hands, and then stomping on it. The moms go to their rehearsal theater seats. Jill did not expect her daughter to be on the bottom of the pyramid. Christi thinks that's where Jill's daughter belongs, and Kelly is also irritated with Jill. Holly notes that for Kendall to be higher on the pyramid, logically she would have to replace one of the girls above this week: Maddie, Chloe or Nia. Which one? Jill implicitly explains that Kendall outperformed Nia last week. The other moms continue to fight with Jill, especially Christi. Christi tricks Jill, telling her that, because Jill is new, she can get away with interrupting class and complaining to Abby. Jill goes down and talks to Abby. Kelly explains to the camera that she enjoyed watching Abby "shut Jill down", while the other moms are shown laughing and celebrating. Still in front of Jill, Abby asks the girls if they all want to be at the top of the pyramid; she is greeted with a chorus of "yes", with Paige and Nia shown also raising hands. Abby seems to think her point to Jill has been made. Christi and Kelly go to lunch, and Christi displays an old competition-book she found, showing Chloe and Maddie beating Kendall in the past. Christi thinks they need to research why Jill is a studio-hopper, and why Kendall wasn't attending their studio before now, when they lived so nearby. Meanwhile at Candy Apple's, Cathy explains to Erika that Brooke will be her competition. Cathy tells Erika that Brooke has only won one title, unlike Erika's two; and disparages some of Brooke's contortionist tricks. Cathy turns her attentions to daughter Vivi-Anne, who is told it is time to "earn her puppy"; they pinky-shake on the deal, but Vivi-Anne is accidentally wounded by Cathy's ring. Talking into the camera, Vivi points to a different finger, but says she hopes she can still dance, despite her injury. Back at ALDC, Christi shows Jill her old competition book. Jill shows everyone that she bought rats and snoods. Kelly explains that "rats" are an ugly hair accessory, that makes girls look like George Washington. Kelly thinks Jill should have joined them in pretending that they could not find rats at stores, so nobody would have to wear them. Christi and Kelly mock Jill for sucking-up to Abby, and mock Melissa for getting her hair done by Jill. Kelly goes down to the rehearsal floor to deliver stage-props for her daughters. Abby yells at Kelly for not giving her kids their props beforehand, instead of interrupting. Kelly asks if Abby wants her help or not, claiming Abby just told Nia her mother didn't love her for not being sufficiently hands-on. After kicking out Kelly, Abby continues to complain, asking in front of Paige if Kelly was drunk. Abby looks up at Kelly in the theatre seats, and keeps asking upwards towards Kelly if she is drunk, loudly whispering and gesturing drinking movements. Abby accuses Kelly of humiliating her kids. Kelly begins talking with the other moms, especially displeased that Abby tried to humiliate her in front of her kids. Holly agrees on Abby's behavior being inappropriate. Kelly wonders why Abby can't understand why her kids want to do other things, when Abby is so unpleasant. Kelly starts to cry. The mood turns dark as Christi and Melissa comfort Kelly. Kelly wonders why she goes to the studio, and feels like she is torturing her kids. Later, Christi and Kelly are disgusted by the ugliness of the costumes, hair, and archaic 1940's dance moves. Gianna summons Holly and Jill downstairs, so Abby can show them their daughters poor dancing. The moms begin their bus ride, Abby yelling directions at the bus driver. Melissa and Jill give a gift to Abby, a gold and jet-colored ring. Christi mocks them for more brown-nosing. Abby states that she now needs a gold outfit, gold earrings, and a gold necklace; and suggests next time they are out, she "needs a husband." Arriving at a hotel in Columbus, the moms get a note inviting them to a soiree, sponsored by Candy Apple's. They go to the party, and Cathy quotes Godfather lines into the camera, on the need to keep your enemies even closer than your friends. Cathy tells the mothers that it seems like they would be much happier away from Abby Lee, and under a good leader (such as Cathy herself.) Christi feels like she is being seduced, and is surprised when she had thought Cathy hated them. The ALDC enter the competition building, and Cathy greets Abby by laughing at a curler still in Abby's hair. Teams enter their dressing rooms. Upset that Kendall was too nervous last week, Abby now directly warns Kendall that she better dance well now, or else she will be kicked off the competition team. Abby is upset because the snoods don't all match each other in appearance. The moms tell Abby that they went to Cathy's party last night; Abby accuses them of being sneaky, and accuses Cathy of solicitation and dirty tricks. Cathy wishes Kendall good luck backstage; Abby further questions Cathy's motives. Next Cathy tells the girls their hair is "interesting". Have fun! ALDC performs their 1940's style group number, "Bad Apples". Christi is pleased at the performance. Candy Apple's enter the stage with Spanish costumes and hand-fans, and perform "Baila Hispanola". Abby appreciates the technique of the CADC dancers, and expresses concern as their competition. Holly echoes Abby's worries about beating the CADC group dance. Abby questions the size and ages of the CADC dancers. Back to the dressing room. Abby is upset at her girls performance, saying it went "down the tubes". Abby scolds Kendall, and tells her to learn an instrument so she can learn how to listen to music. Jill questions the age of the CADC dancers. Abby tells Jill that it's not Jill's job to worry about ages. Furthermore, Abby says whatever their ages, she herself looks like an idiot if she can't win on their own talent, choreography and costumes. The girls line up for the awards ceremony. Cathy asks the ALDC moms where they got the "Amish hairdo." Christi responds that Cathy should know more about the hairdo, since it's from the 1940's. Abby is worried this might be the one time that Candy Apple's beats them. Candy Apple's "Baila Hispanola" is awarded 2nd place. ALDC takes 1st (girls and moms cheer). Kelly reluctantly guesses that Abby was right about the rats and snoods. ALDC taunt Cathy with cliches about apples. Cathy is outraged that the ALDC was judged the winner, and asks a judge to see the scores. Seeing the scoresheets, she calls them "utterly ridiculous." Cathy tells her dancers about overhearing Abby and the ALDC mothers worrying about being beat, and Abby expresses her relief on the results. Brooke notes that Candy Apples did a great job, and this made her nervous before her solo. Brooke performs her solo "Garden of Eden". Kelly tells the camera that Abby told her Brooke did great; which must indeed mean Brooke did pretty good, given how Abby usually treats Brooke and Kelly. Erika performs her solo "Through the Looking Glass". Abby expresses concern at Brooke's chances of winning, noting that Erika's performance was much more mature. The teams return to dressing rooms. The ALDC moms gossip about Erika's age seeming much older than eleven or twelve. Chloe and Brooke bring news that Erika's age is being questioned by the competition officials. Cathy tells the officials that Erika turned fourteen in January, and an official notes that Erika is in the wrong age division, and should be in the thirteen-to-fourteen division. Cathy tells the official that Brooke is in the wrong age division, too. The official goes and questions Abby, who tells the official that Brooke turned thirteen, born in January 1998. The official states that they count ages as at the first of the year, so Brooke is properly in the age twelve category. Abby gets the official to admit that Cathy Nesbitt was the one questioning Brooke's age. Abby criticizes Cathy for entering Erika in the wrong age division just to beat her, but calls Erika a beautiful dancer who could have probably "won the whole thing", if she was entered in the correct division. Cathy seeks a confrontation with ALDC. Cathy insults Christi's dress. Christi calls Cathy "granny" and invites her to leave. Cathy gives Christi a nickname, and orders "Nose" to listen. Christi tells the camera that you can count on Cathy to play dirty with insults. Christi wards off Cathy, paraphrasing Glinda from The Wizard of Oz: "Begone, witch, you have no powers here!" Dialogue Gallery To view the gallery for Return of the Candy Apples, click here. Trivia *'Pyramid': **Maddie **Chloe, Nia **Paige, Brooke, Mackenzie, Kendall (probation) *Although it was not shown, Maddie and Paige both performed solos. *Maddie's solo is a re-used costume from "Reflections". *Paige's costume is seen on Kelly's House Tour (a Lifetime extra) and in a picture on the official Dance Moms website under the bonus Brooke and Paige Pictures added before season three. *The "Bad Apples" costumes are from a costume company called Kellé Company.http://www.kellecompany.com/catalog.aspx?CatalogSectionID=10&PagingIndex=3&ProductID=503 *Drazen Wilmers was against Maddie in this episode. Maddie got first, and Drazen got second. Lifetime Bonus Clips *"On the Bus" (Lifetime-YT) (this extra not found on DVDs) *"Dear Abby: Episode 2" (Lifetime-YT) (this extra not found on DVDs) *"Boutique Bonding" (Lifetime-YT) (this extra not found on DVDs) *"Investigating Jill" (Lifetime-YT) (this extra not found on DVDs) *"Abby and the Moms" (Lifetime-YT) Video Gallery References *Official Competition Results (pdf) Category:Season Two Episodes Category:Episodes Category:Group Dances Category:Brooke Solos Category:No Duets Category:No Trios Category:Candy Apples Category:Candy Apples Episode Category:Musical Theater Category:Acro Category:Rising Star Category:Columbus Category:Ohio Category:November Competition Category:1st Place Wins Category:2nd Place Wins